Garment form



April 1959 i s. P. PANC'ARl 2,880,917

GARMENT FORM Filed Aug. 23, 1956 INVENTOR. SARAH l? PANCARI ATTO R N EYS Un St t s Paeao GARMENT FORM Sarah P. Pancari, Philadelphia, Pa. Application August 23, 1956, Serial No. 605,809

' 4 Claims. (Cl. 223-68) flat and shapeless manner. Such hanging fails to display the garment in its most desirable form. Furthermore, when garments have been packed for transportation, they become pressed flat and, when unpacked, it is difficult to show the garment in such a manner as to present the garment in its best form. It is therefore desirable to employ a garment form which will fill the garment and cause the garment to have an appearance'similar to that which it would have if it were being worn by a model.

Numerous garment forms are known to the art including flat hanger type form and manikins and similar rigid lifelike forms. These flat hanger type forms are unsatisfactory and the rigid lifelike forms are both expensive and diflicult to handle and transport.

It is the primary object of this invention to provide a simple and inexpensive garment form which may be compressed to a generally fiat form for shipment and which will provide a skirt and body form which will shape a dress positioned thereover in the same manner as the dress would be shaped by a rigid form or a living model.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a garment form which may be either hung from a rack or placed on a counter or table in standing position without the need for special hangers or stands.

These and other objects of the invention relating particularly to the construction thereof will become evident from the following description when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawing in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the rear of the garment form;

Figure 2 is a transverse section taken through the form on the plane indicated by the trace 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary section taken through the form on the trace 3-3 in Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary section taken through the form on the trace 44 in Figure 2;

Figure 5 is a front view of the form in a flattened position; and

Figure 6 is a side view of the form shown in Figure 5.

As is indicated in Figures 1 and 2, the garment form comprises an upper portion indicated generally at 10 and a lower portion indicated generally at 12. The upper and lower portions are joined together at the waist of the form as indicated at 14.

The lower body portion of the garment form is bellshaped and is preferably formed of a semi-stiff fabric, which is reinforced around its lower periphery by means of a suitable flexible stiffening member 18. A similar encircling stiffening member 20 is provided at the waist of the form, and generally vertically extending front and rear stifiening members 22 and 24, respectively, and side stiffening members 28 extending between the encircling stifiening members 18 and 20. 1

The upper body portion of the form comprises'spaced front and rear panels 30 and 32, respectively, forming a bodice and each preferably formed of a semi-stiflf fabric and stiffened at their upper edges by means of a flexible stiffening member 34 extending transversely across the shoulder line of the garment form.

Flexible stifiening means 36 and 38 of loop form each extend upwardly from the waist 20 on each side of the front 30 of the upper body portion of the form, pass across the top of the form and the top stiffening member 34, and down to the waist 20 on each side of the back 32 of. the upper body portion. In order to provide a more lifelike form, the loop-like upper body portion stifiening means 36 and 38 are flared outwardly and upwardly from the waist 20 of the form. Panels of semistitf fabric material 40 and 42 extend between the legs of the loops 36 and'38, respectively, providing sides for the upper body portion of the form.

The panels of the upper body portion of the form and the material of the lower body portion of the form are preferably a semi-stiff fabric material such as a nylon horsehair, crinoline, taffeta, or the like. It will'be evident, however, that any fibrous, suitably flexible material, may be employed and it is not absolutely essential that a semi-stiff material be employed. Hereinafter when the term fibrous flexible material is employed, .it will be intended to apply to any suitable type of woven fabric or suitable type of fibrous material. In fact, for inexpensive forms, a paper material could be employed.

The various stiffening means referred to are preferably bone stiffeners. Such stiffeners were originally made of bone but are presently generally made of celluloid or suitably coated flexible metal strips. Hereinafter wherever the term flexible stiffening means is employed, it should be construed as applying to bone, celluloid, metal stiifeners or the like. The stiffeners are encased in a fibrous flexible material which is sewed to the panels of the form as shown in Figures 3 and 4.

As will be evident from viewing Figure l, the garment form structure has sufficient rigidity that the form may be placed upon a table or counter and will support a garment. In some instances, however, it is desired to hang the garment form. For this purpose, a pair of loops 44 are attached to the rear of the form and preferably to the stiifeners 36 and 38. The loops 44 are adapted to receive a conventional type of hanger as indicated in construction lines at 46 provided with the conventional hook 48 whereby the hanger and the garment form supported thereby may be hung from a garment rack.

One of the desirable features of this garment form is that it may be compressed to relatively fiat form for packaging or shipment. A pair of tabs 50 and 52 are atfixed to the inside of the waist stiffening band 20 at the front and rear portions thereof, respectively. The tabs 50 and 52 carry the mating portions of a snap assembly whereby the normally open oval waist portion of the form may be drawn together as indicated generally at 54 in Figures 5 and 6 reducing the form to a front to back depth at the waist portion thereof no greater than the front to back depth at the shoulder portion thereof. A similar pair of tabs 56 and 58 are provided at front and rear portions, respectively, of the encircling stiffening means 18 at the base of the lower body portion. These tabs, positioned at the front and rear, respectively, of the form carry mating portions of a snap assembly by means of which the lowermost portion of the form may be drawn together as indicated generally at 60 in Figures 5 and 6.

Patented Apr. 7,

The front and rearportions of the reinforcing band 18, as. indicated at,62 and..64, respectively, inFigures and 6 tend to fall into a looped position in which the front to rear depth of the reinforcing band 18 is reduced to a di mension .not 'greaterthan thefiont toyrear depth-of the Waist as'indicated. at 54*.

When. the. form is unpacked and it. is desired to place. the form into, use, it is merely necessary to openthe snap assemblies 50, 52 and 56, 58. and the stiffening members will cause the. form. to assume, substantially the shape shownjn Figures 1 and,2. In the event that due to extrcme' deformation due toha'ndling or packaging the form does not. assume this. shape, it will be evident that the 4 portion being in the form of a skirt outwardly and downwardly flared and formed of flexible fibrous material having flexible stiflening means encircling the lower portion and having flexible stiffening means extending between said two encircling means, said upper body portion being in the form of a bodice comprising spaced front and back panels of flexible fibrous material joined together and stifiened at their upper edges by flexible stiffening 1 means extending across the shoulder line of the bodice flcxiblestitfeningmeans' may be manipulated so as to provide a desired form shape.

From. the foregoing, it will be apparent. that my garmentforrn provides an inexpensive and yet highly satisfactory garment form whichwill desirably fill both the skirtportion and the blouseportion of a garment in a lifelike manner. The form may be'placed in-standing position'on a counter or table, or may be hung-from an over head hanger or rack. The flared lowerbody portion, the oval waist, the full upper body portion, and the transverse shoulder member 34 insure the proper forming of a garment and thus insure the supporting of a garment. with a proper and desirable shoulder line. While in the foregoing description reference has been made to the garment formas being a dress form, it will becvident that numerous other'types of garments may be displayed. thereno.

What is claimed is:

1.-A garment form comprising an upper body portion andalower body portion joined together, flexible stiffcning means encircling the form in the region of jointure of theupper and lower body portions, said lower body and having flexible stiflening means of loop form extending upwardly from said first mentioned encircling means on each side of said front panel to the stiffening means at the top of the form and extending downwardly from the stiffening means at the top of the form to said first mentioned encircling means at" each side of said back panel.

2. A garment form in accordance with claim 1 in which the upper body portion stiifening means are flared outwardly and upwardly.

, 3. A garment form inaccordance with claim 1 having flexible fibrous material extending between front and rear portions of each of the loop stiifening means. 4

4. A garment form in accordance with claim 1 including means for securing together opposing front and rear portions of each ofsaid encircling means.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

